Karun Nair makes dream start to England tour with century for India A, Ashwin hails comeback with strong ‘No.3’ reaction
Karun Nair kickstarted his return to the national setup with a brilliant century during India A’s unofficial Test against England Lions on Friday. The Vidarbha batter, who made his return to the Indian Test squad after over 8 years for the five-match series against England, produced a dominant performance on Day 1 of the unofficial Test, reaching his three-figure mark in just over 150 deliveries.
India A endured a shaky start on a seamer-friendly surface, but Nair and Sarfaraz Khan produced a resilient fightback to put the visitors in control.
After being asked to bat first on a damp and overcast morning, India A lost both openers within the first hour. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who looked compact early on, edged one to the slip cordon off Eddie Jack after a watchful 24, while Abhimanyu Easwaran’s search for redemption fell flat again, trapped in front by Josh Hull for a scratchy 8. At 38/2, the hosts were firmly on top.
But just when the England Lions sensed early dominance, Nair and Sarfaraz stitched together a commanding 181-run partnership that turned the tide. Nair, returning to the longer format spotlight, looked assured and fluent from the outset. He brought up a well-paced hundred, soaking up pressure and unleashing his strokeplay once set.
Sarfaraz shines
Sarfaraz Khan, who was not included in India’s 18-member squad for the England series, was undeterred with his snub as he remained his typically aggressive self, counterattacking with boundaries and disrupting the rhythm of the English bowlers. His 92 off 124 balls was laced with 13 boundaries, as Sarfaraz took the attack to the bowlers before Hull returned to break the partnership.
Dhruv Jurel’s arrival steadied the innings further, as he provided sensible support to Nair, who continued to anchor the innings. The momentum, firmly seized back by India A, left the England Lions’ bowlers searching for answers on a pitch that had initially offered them plenty.